The countdown to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is currently underway, with the crème de la crème of African players expected to converge in Ivory Coast next month.
However, there is a growing list of injury concerns for most African teams. Here are the five players whose participation has suffered a setback.
Bryan Mbeumo – Cameroon
The Brentford striker will miss the Indomitable Lions quest for African glory following surgery on his ankle.
Mbeumo will be out of action for at least three months, as earlier revealed by The Bees manager, Thomas Frank.
Mbeumo leads Brentford’s scoring charts with seven goals and three assists in the Premier League.
With 14 appearances for the 5-time AFCON winners, Mbeumo has netted three times.
Cameroon is in Group C alongside Senegal, Guinea, and Gambia.
Taiwo Awoniyi – Nigeria
The Nottingham Forest striker aggravated his groin injury in the Super Eagles’ 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, a 1-all draw against Lesotho.
Taiwo will miss the upcoming edition of the Africa Cup as he continues to recover from the injury.
Lyle Foster-South Africa
Lyle Foster surprisingly appeared on Burnley’s bench for their Premier League match against Everton, as he came on as a substitute to make his first appearance in 10 weeks.
The striker’s participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is still in doubt after the Premier League side announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from football to receive specialist treatment for his mental wellbeing.
Last week, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany disclosed that the 23-year-old would not be joining South Africa’s national team for the tournament despite being named in the preliminary 50-man squad.
Foster was making his first appearance for the club in 10 weeks and has so far scored three goals with two assists in eight Premier League matches.
Terem Moffi – Nigeria
The 24-year-old OGC Nice striker has emerged as an injury doubt for the Super Eagles.
Moffi suffered a hamstring injury hours before Nice’s match against Le Havre, the club announced on its X handle.
Just like Taiwo Awoniyi, Moffi has been included in the Nigerian provisional squad.
Noussair Mazraoui – Morocco
The Bayern Munich defender could miss the AFCON next month due to a calf injury against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.
The 26-year-old defender is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks and has since been ruled out of Bayern’s upcoming matches.
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Mazraoui has been impressive for Morocco and Die Roten, where he has racked up four assists in all competitions.
